Control device, control system, movable object, control method, and program

Abstract

A movable object position determining unit of a control device for a movable object is configured to determine whether a current position of the movable object is separated a predetermined distance or more from a transit point which is a junction between a valid movement track and a candidate movement track. A change processing unit is configured to change the candidate movement track as a new valid movement track when a track change determining unit determines that the current position of the movable object is separated the predetermined distance or more from the transit point as the junction.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A control device for a movable object moving along a movement track which is constituted by connecting a plurality of transit points set in a space, the control device comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the control device to function as: 
 a track change determining unit that is configured to determine whether a valid movement track which is the movement track along which the movable object is scheduled to move needs to be changed; 
 a candidate track specifying unit that is configured to specify a candidate movement track which is the movement track other than the valid movement track when the track change determining unit determines that the valid movement track needs to be changed; 
 a movable object position determining unit that is configured to determine whether a current position of the movable object is separated a predetermined distance or more from a transit point which is a junction between the valid movement track and the candidate movement track; 
 a change processing unit that is configured to change the candidate movement track as a new valid movement track when the movable object position determining unit determines that the current position of the movable object is separated the predetermined distance or more from the transit point serving as the junction; and 
 a route information transmitting unit that is configured to transmit, to the movable object, route information including information of the valid movement track for controlling turning of the movable object based on the route information, 
 wherein: 
 the predetermined distance is defined as a radius of curvature at which the movable object does not skid at the junction; 
 the predetermined distance is defined as a minimum distance that the movable object passing through the transit point serving as the junction is able to turn without stopping based on a moving state of the movable object; and 
 the change processing unit is configured to change the candidate movement track in which a change angle of a moving direction of the movable object at the junction is minimized as a new valid movement track when a plurality of candidate movement tracks are specified by the candidate track specifying unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the control device to further function as an update processing unit that is configured to update the valid movement track when the movable object has reached the transit point of the valid movement track and the movable object has not reached a destination. 
     
     
       3. The control device according to  claim 2 , wherein the track change determining unit is configured to determine whether the valid movement track needs to be changed again when the valid movement track has been updated. 
     
     
       4. The control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined distance is defined as a value based on a current moving speed of the movable object. 
     
     
       5. The control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the movable object is a vehicle. 
     
     
       6. The control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the movable object is a ship. 
     
     
       7. The control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the movable object is an aircraft. 
     
     
       8. The control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the movable object is an underwater craft. 
     
     
       9. The control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the radius of curvature is calculated based on a mass of the movable object, a moving speed of the movable object, and a frictional coefficient of a road. 
     
     
       10. A control system comprising:
 a control device for a movable object moving along a movement track which is constituted by connecting a plurality of transit points set in a space; and 
 the movable object, 
 wherein the control device includes: 
 a processor; and 
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the processor of the control device, cause the control device to function as: 
 a track change determining unit that is configured to determine whether a valid movement track which is the movement track along which the movable object is scheduled to move needs to be changed; 
 a candidate track specifying unit that is configured to specify a candidate movement track which is the movement track other than the valid movement track when the track change determining unit determines that the valid movement track needs to be changed; 
 a movable object position determining unit that is configured to determine whether a current position of the movable object is separated a predetermined distance or more from a transit point which is a junction between the valid movement track and the candidate movement track; 
 a change processing unit that is configured to change the candidate movement track as a new valid movement track when the movable object position determining unit determines that the current position of the movable object is separated the predetermined distance or more from the transit point serving as the junction; 
 a movable object information receiving unit that is configured to receive, from the movable object, movable object information of the movable object including position information of the movable object, speed information of the movable object, and moving direction information of the movable object; and 
 a route information transmitting unit that is configured to transmit, to the movable object, route information including information of the valid movement track, and 
 wherein the movable object includes: 
 a processor; and 
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the processor of the movable object, cause the movable object to function as: 
 an information transmitting unit that is configured to transmit the movable object information to the control device; 
 an information receiving unit that is configured to receive the route information from the control device; and 
 a traveling control unit that is configured to control turning of the movable object based on the route information which has been received, 
 wherein: 
 the predetermined distance is defined as a radius of curvature at which the movable object does not skid at the junction; 
 the predetermined distance is defined as a minimum distance that the movable object passing through the transit point serving as the junction is able to turn without stopping based on a moving state of the movable object; and 
 the change processing unit is configured to change the candidate movement track in which a change angle of a moving direction of the movable object at the junction is minimized as a new valid movement track when a plurality of candidate movement tracks are specified by the candidate track specifying unit. 
 
     
     
       11. A movable object comprising:
 a control device for the movable object moving along a movement track which is constituted by connecting a plurality of transit points set in a space, 
 wherein the control device includes: 
 a processor; and 
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the control device to function as: 
 a track change determining unit that is configured to determine whether a valid movement track which is the movement track along which the movable object is scheduled to move needs to be changed; 
 a candidate track specifying unit that is configured to specify a candidate movement track which is the movement track other than the valid movement track when the track change determining unit determines that the valid movement track needs to be changed; 
 a movable object position determining unit that is configured to determine whether a current position of the movable object is separated a predetermined distance or more from a transit point which is a junction between the valid movement track and the candidate movement track; 
 a change processing unit that is configured to change the candidate movement track as a new valid movement track when the movable object position determining unit determines that the current position of the movable object is separated the predetermined distance or more from the transit point serving as the junction; and 
 a traveling control unit that is configured to control turning of the movable object based on route information including information of the valid movement track, 
 wherein: 
 the predetermined distance is defined as a radius of curvature at which the movable object does not skid at the junction; 
 the predetermined distance is defined as a minimum distance that the movable object passing through the transit point serving as the junction is able to turn without stopping based on a moving state of the movable object; and 
 the change processing unit is configured to change the candidate movement track in which a change angle of a moving direction of the movable object at the junction is minimized as a new valid movement track when a plurality of candidate movement tracks are specified by the candidate track specifying unit. 
 
     
     
       12. A control method for a movable object moving along a movement track which is constituted by connecting a plurality of transit points set in a space, the control method comprising:
 determining whether a valid movement track which is the movement track along which the movable object is scheduled to move needs to be changed; 
 specifying a candidate movement track which is the movement track other than the valid movement track upon determining that the valid movement track needs to be changed; 
 determining whether a current position of the movable object is separated a predetermined distance or more from a transit point which is a junction between the valid movement track and the candidate movement track; 
 changing the candidate movement track as a new valid movement track upon determining that the current position of the movable object is separated the predetermined distance or more from the transit point serving as the junction, wherein the candidate movement track in which a change angle of a moving direction of the movable object at the junction is minimized is changed as a new valid movement track when a plurality of candidate movement tracks are specified; and 
 transmitting, to the movable object, route information including information of the valid movement track for controlling turning of the movable object based on the route information, 
 wherein: 
 the predetermined distance is defined as a radius of curvature at which the movable object does not skid at the junction; and 
 the predetermined distance is defined as a minimum distance that the movable object passing through the transit point serving as the junction is able to turn without stopping based on a moving state of the movable object. 
 
     
     
       13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a program stored therein, the program causing a processor that is a control device for a movable object moving along a movement track which is constituted by connecting a plurality of transit points set in a space to function as:
 a track change determining unit that is configured to determine whether a valid movement track which is the movement track along which the movable object is scheduled to move needs to be changed; 
 a candidate track specifying unit that is configured to specify a candidate movement track which is the movement track other than the valid movement track when the track change determining unit determines that the valid movement track needs to be changed; 
 a movable object position determining unit that is configured to determine whether a current position of the movable object is separated a predetermined distance or more from a transit point which is a junction between the valid movement track and the candidate movement track; 
 a change processing unit that is configured to change the candidate movement track as a new valid movement track when the movable object position determining unit determines that the current position of the movable object is separated the predetermined distance or more from the transit point serving as the junction; and 
 a route information transmitting unit that is configured to transmit, to the movable object, route information including information of the valid movement track for controlling turning of the movable object based on the route information, 
 wherein: 
 the predetermined distance is defined as a radius of curvature at which the movable object does not skid at the junction; 
 the predetermined distance is defined as a minimum distance that the movable object passing through the transit point serving as the junction is able to turn without stopping based on a moving state of the movable object; and 
 the change processing unit is configured to change the candidate movement track in which a change angle of a moving direction of the movable object at the junction is minimized as a new valid movement track when a plurality of candidate movement tracks are specified by the candidate track specifying unit.